Wall cabinet



Aug. 14, NW5. WALES 2,382,354

' WALL CABINET Filed Oct. 31, 1944 3 2 sheets-s eet;

WATER M INVENTOR.

Aug. 14,1945. I B, .WALES 2,382,354 v WALL CABINET Filed Oct. :51, 1944 2 Sheets-Sha T a E *'T{ 17 Patented Aug. l4, 1945 hi invention relates assailants end especially in reference to itselevator mechanism incorporated with thetshelf element, -andas one embodimentof this invention, 4 I show it in the form of a kitchen cabinet. i yam r One of the objects of this invention is to permit a series of shelves tobe lowered at will by simply pressing a button, or! its equivalent; so that-the contents willbe easily accessible. Byadoingthis the shelves may be located much higher on the wallrthan isnow; common, practice; and in this manner space new unused for shelf area can be accessibly utilizedfor storage space. l y K i I Another object is to attain absolutesaietyby providing a yielding cabinet-panel, so that: if the operators hand should becaught betweena shelf and the front panel ofth'e cabinet, the hand: can

hydraulic systems 1;, y i, Referring, to the several drawings similar nuneralsrefer to similar partszu be withdrawn without injury; even though the position, by unseenmechanism consisting of tlie fewest possible'componentsm o i i These .overhung' andaunbalancedj weight components are properly sustained by a three point suspension, two" .of' which points: of support are obtained directly from the wall against whichrthe shelf element is in rolling contactduring its fup and down" movement; In'thismannerno giuiding mechanism isvisibleand yet theishelt element is always in alignment with: the cabinet, so that the; actuating mechanism; and in particularthe sealing gland in, thecylinder base will not leak during normal use. (I a m i Further objectslandl details will bemore specifi cally described and illustratedin 'thefollowing specifications anddrawings in whicli z Figure 1 is an isometric exterior elevation showj the stationary wall cabinet,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the wall cabinet, shown partially in section, withthe shelf element at its extreme lowered position; The rolling shelf ing the shelf element in its l oweredpositiorf below supports against the wall, or its equivalent,are.

clearly indicated.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section through the control valve of the hydraulic elevating system taken on line AA in Figure 2.

Figure 4is an'enlarged end view in elevation of one of the two: rolling; supports 5 showing a fragment of theshelfielement. 1 4

Figure 5313- a; front- :view shown with the right hand portion in section online: C-C in Figure 2,

- with the shelf element tin its upper'position, taken online =D- -Din'Figure-2r Figure 6" is awplan view-inwenlarged: section, taken on line Bars. in Figurer5 -showing iii-detail the one upper rolling contact suspension point of theshelf element as guided by'the cylinder of the ,'Zlin-l?iguret 1,; numeralul is the wall cabinet; Z is the. shelf. element; consisting oil 4 a structure hav ing an open front and shelves: [3 which may be composed iof aplurality ofsuperposed shelves to gether with rear and side walls asa' unit element; 3: is: the front paiieliin'cabinet i; hinged 1 al'ong'its upper. "end; by; hinge I0,- I see Figure 2,: which is attached to strip-Hamming a top-seotion' of the cabinet casing l;.:andwhich in turn is securedto hinge, t2; which is likewisezsecured tothe permanent, portion ofs'the top? of: cabinet In this manner the front panel 3'wil1 easil-y rise and move outward if any obstructionon shelf" t3 protrudes,- as and-when shelf l3:isrelvatedabov the lower edge ofiront'panelniil-mw l l ni protectiver-casingsl'l also sui'rounds {the shelf Q space which the hydraulic cylinder 4 oo'cupies when the shelt'element; rises into cabinet? I; A piston of any "suitable construction; fits within cylinder 4,;and1hhs a piston rojd 1", 'which passes through a packing. gland l6 in the lower endfof cylinder 4. The piston rod! is conventionally secured to the shelfelement 2 through a plate 8 fasteneda to the lower peanut: the shelf element;

v A cylinderv head fiis'secured' to the top'of cylinder 4. Ajbleeder pipe IT, enterin g th'e top-of cylinder 4,- passesdown behind'the shelf element 2 and in front-of the rear panel of the cabinet I" and enters the drain pipe connection I &, thereby permitting water leakage from piston F5 and trapped airlto be properly vented into the drain.

l A control valve 9; with the rotatable element is; having. therein ort 20 is arranged to register the cylinder connecting pipe 2| alternately with drain pipe [8 to lower the shelf element 2, orwith water main pipe 22 when it is desired to raise shelf element into cabinet A handle 23 and connecting shaft 24 are shown as a means to operate valve 9.

It is to be noted that the,cylinder 4, see Figure 2, is shown at the rear of the shelf element 2 in order to minimize its interference with the useful space of the shelf area. This position of the liftin force, which elevates and sustains the shelf element, produces an off center gravity component'of the weight imposed on the shelf ele- A cross-head member 25 partially surrounds the cylinder 4, a portion being omitted to permit the cross-head to pass by the cylinder support arms 26 and member 2|, which are suitably secured to the back panel 21, of the cabinet, I.

Rollers 28 are journaled in cross-head 25, and are in rolling contact with the exterior of cylinder 4. The cross-head 25 is suitably secured to'the' to of the upper shelf 29 of shelf element 2. i

This rolling contact cross-head is the upper member of the'three-point suspension, while the two rollers 30 and 3|, s'ecur'ed'to the back panel 33 of shelf element 2 complete the three point suspension; The'rollers 30 and 3| may be rubber faced wheels in direct contact with the kitchen wall 5, or its equivalent, and referring toFlgure 2, directly support the overhungweight of the shelf load, relieving the stufiin'g-box gland I6 of dama ing side thrust. F l g The operationof the wall cabinet is as follows; Assuming the shelf element is in the'position as shown in Figurefi, the handle 23, or its equivalent, is manipulatedto'turn'control valve 9 to the position shown in Figure 3, thus allowing the water filled cylinder l, which has maintained piston l5"atitsuppermost position, to empty, through port zflzinyalvell, into the drain connection l8, The shelf element 2' now falls to the position shown in Figure 2, thejroll'ers 30 and 3|, turning: as they contact wall 5,, support the shelf element during its movement. 1When it is desired to restore the shelf element to its position shown in Figure 5;the valve 9 is turned to permit port -to register with pipes 22 and. 2| and. the pressure ofthe city water service, through "water supply pipe 22, forces piston [5 to rise incylinder l, thereby elevating the shelf element by virtue of pistonrod 1 and its connection through plate 8 with the shelf element 2; "f By tests,,it has been: found that if the roller support wheels 3 l; are of. sufficient 'width, and made ofwhitejrubber, nomarkings ensue after continued operations on a conventional plaster wall.

' What I desire to claim by United States Letters point suspension to guide said shelf element in its travel from and into said cabinet.

2. A cabinet, adapted to cooperate with a supporting wall, containing a movable shelf element, two laterally spaced rollers secured to the back of said shelf element, actuating means to lower and elevate said shelf element from and into said cabinet, said actuating means including a vertical guide element, a three point-suspension to guide said shelf element in its travel, utilizing as one upper central guiding support, in said suspension, said vertical guide element and said rollers contacting said supporting wall as the other two points insaid suspension.

. 3 .1 A cabinet, adapted to cooperate with a supporting wall, containing a movable shelf element, and comprising a hydraulic motor, including a vertical cylinder to lower and elevate said shelf elementfrom and into said cabinet, a three point suspension toguide said element in its travel, utilizing as one'upper central guiding support, said vertical cylindersecured'to said cabinet and two roller "guidin'g 'su'pports secured to the rear of said shelf element and "contacting said supporting wall.

, positioned within,"and"at the rearof said cabinet and-"engaged by'said slide element secured to said shelf element, a three point suspension serving as a guide for said'shelf element in its travel, composed of said'vertical gnideiand said two rollers's'ecured to the rear of said shelf element and contacting said supporting wall.

5. A cabinet, comprising a main body; a front panel and ari open'lowerend, a shelf element slideably mounted in"' thecabinet and adapted to be elevated or lowered' into and out of said cabinet, power means'z to raise and "lower said shelf elementand' manual cont'rol-means therefor, accessible from the fr'on't of said cabinet and hinged means attaching the top' of" the front panel of said cabinet t'o themain'body thereof, to permit said panel-'tol'freely move both upward and-outward fromisaid'cabinet'rincase an obstructionelevated by said powerdrive'n shelf encounters thelower edge of'said front panel. 6. A cabinet, adapted to'cooperate'with a supporting wall, containing'a movable shelf element,

and comprising hydraulic l'cylinder actuating means; secured tosaid cabinet, .to lower and elevate said shelf element'from'and into said cabinet, crossheadmeans'attached'to said shelf element and engaging said cylinder to align said shelf element with said cabinet, roller supports, securedto the rear of saidshelf element and engaging said' wall, to support .the overhung weight onsaidshelf element when saidshelf element is lowered from saidcabinet, and a manual control for said hydraulic actuating means.

, ,N A 'lZ'I-I ANIELB. WALES. 

